


Two Sides to Every Coin

by Shergar



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Takes a Calculated Risk, Alternate Universe - Dresden Files Fusion, BAMF Alec Lightwood, Fallen Angel Alec Lightwood, Fallen Angels, Hurt Magnus Bane, M/M, The Order of the Blackened Denarius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29829651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shergar/pseuds/Shergar
Summary: Magnus has been taken by something not quite an angel and not quite a demon.Alec takes a calculated risk to get him back.
Relationships: Alec Lightwood & Namshiel, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 13
Kudos: 70





	Two Sides to Every Coin

**Author's Note:**

> This was 100% an excuse for me to play a little in the Dresden Files sandbox. I took the concept of the Order of the Blackened Denarius and put it through a blender. I've kept names and the bare-bones concept of the coins but that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Alec Lightwood liked plans. He had one for a hundred situations that could happen and even more for a thousand things that probably never would. Plans kept people alive. Plans kept his family  _ safe. _

So to say he’d been unusually prepared when Magnus had been taken by a member of the Order of the Blackened Denarius, well, that was just an understatement. 

Magnus’ books spoke of silver coins given to Judas in exchange for his betrayal of Jesus. Those coins were said to contain the bound essence of a fallen angel. This was the Order. 

There were thirty coins total, Alec knew that. He knew that most were lost to time or staying hidden in a world that would see them destroyed. 

Alec also knew that the Clave possessed eleven of those coins - locked away in the deepest, darkest vault to never see the light of day again.

Magnus might be the son of a fallen angel but if he had been taken by a member of the Order of the Blackened Denarius then Alec would have to move Heaven and Hell to get him back. 

Well, move a small piece that belonged to neither rather. 

He knew that alone, he had no chance against a fallen angel who was not quite a demon and not quite an angel. His siblings would come with him, they always would, and his Institute would stand at his back but he didn’t want to be responsible for the loss of life that he knew would come if they stood against the Order. Magnus might have had a chance, maybe, given the strength of his magic and the blood running through his veins, but Alec was just Alec. He had no hand to play in a fight like this. 

He needed to cheat.

Well, maybe not  _ cheat _ per se, but play by the rules of someone else’s game.

To beat a member of the Order, you needed another member of the Order. 

And the Clave still had eleven of those coins.

It hadn’t even been  _ hard _ either, that was the thing. The coins were nearly lost to legend - written off as nothing more than bedtime stories for Nephilim children to warn them of temptation. They weren’t even  _ guarded.  _ He’d slipped in with a glamor and now found himself in front of the case that held the coins. 

Each sigil was different as was each fallen angel the coins housed. They had their own strengths, their own weaknesses, their own place in the Order. He’d always known which he’d go for if the situation arose. 

Lasciel was tempting because of her thirst for knowledge but she was at her core a  _ temptress.  _ He knew that the coins would slowly drive him to madness if he wasn’t careful and he wanted to avoid that as much as he could. So while he’d welcome the knowledge that would come with the coin with the hourglass, he’d leave that one be. He had another option in mind. 

The coin with the star was second to the last. That is the one he thought would suit him best, at least of those that had been recovered. He reached for the silver piece with a gloved hand and slipped it in his pocket. It was safe to touch, for now. It wasn’t the time nor place to grab it with his bare hand. That would come when he wasn’t in danger of being discovered. 

Later, when he’d safely returned to New York and was alone in his office, having warned his siblings to give him some space, that was when it was time to finally pick up the coin. 

The tarnished metal was strangely warm in his fingers, despite having been dumped on his desk as soon as he’d returned. It almost buzzed with an electric energy - calling, tempting him to hold it closer and to keep it safe. He could see how people got addicted to the power that these coins held. He was nearly tempted to lose himself in it - but he had bigger problems that needed to be dealt with first and foremost.

_ A shadowhunter, how interesting. I haven’t  _ **_tasted_ ** _ a shadowhunter before.  _ The voice whispered in his head, its energy swirling around him in invisible waves. 

“Namshiel. Sorcerer of the Order.” It’s the first time he’s let himself even think the name of the Angel in the coin since he’d made the decision to take it. He hadn’t wanted to tempt fate before he was ready. There was too much on the line here.

_ Ah, so you’ve heard of me. I should be honored but I know your kind. _ There was amusement, anger, and a hint of fear - so much was going on in his head right now it was hard to sort out what was Alec and what was Namshiel.

“I have a proposition for you.” He knew he didn’t have to speak out loud. The Angel was in his head - he could hear his inner voice. If he agreed to what Alec was offering, he’d be able to do so much more than that.

_ You are in no place to be making  _ **_deals_ ** _ , child.  _ Disgust, anger, and a hint of curiosity. 

“I think I am. I can easily return this coin and offer this deal to one of your siblings. You currently have no sway over me. Prove to me that I chose correctly.” He was playing with fire, he knew that. Namshiel might be his only change to rescue Magnus. He might take a chance with Lasciel if it came down to it but the others? Taking up any of the other coins would put more than just himself in danger.

_ Insolent whelp. What do you think that  _ **_you_ ** _ can offer a fallen angel? _

“A chance at redemption. I don’t believe that all those who fell did so by their own accord. Make this a partnership and not a possession, prove to Raziel that you’re on the side of the angels and maybe I’m not the only one who gets something out of this.” The voice in his head was silent and Alec rubbed his finger over the metal as he waited.

_ What you ask will not be without repercussions for either of us. Accepting my power will change you, I cannot control that. _

“I’m aware, and I’m ready to face whatever may come from it. Please, help me save Magnus from one of your siblings and I will help you prove yourself worthy in return.”

He could feel the energy pulsing around him in consideration and he fought to keep the anxiety and insecurities out of his mind. He needed Namshiel’s help and he didn’t care what happened to him or what the Clave had to say as long as he could get Magnus back. 

_ We have a deal, Alexander Lightwood. Do you submit yourself as host and accept the power and consequences that come? _

“I do.” The energy spinning around him froze and the air thickened before finally dissipating into calm silence. The electricity he’d felt before was now crawling under his skin - it wasn’t uncomfortable, it was just...different. This was Namshiel’s power, the magic that came with being the Sorcerer of the Order. It was a river of energy in his veins and Alec had to wonder if this is how Magnus’s magic felt to him all the time. It was exhilarating...addicting. 

Namshiel hummed, settling himself into the parts of Alec that would let them have a partnership.  _ Very well, _ he said once he was satisfied,  _ let us go and find my brother. _

\------------------------------

Alec didn’t know which of the Knights had taken Magnus - the Clave only had eleven of the coins, that meant there were nineteen others out there and of those only a few had been accounted for in some fashion. He’d tried to find out  _ who _ they were dealing but there simply hadn’t been enough information available for him to make an educated guess. He would have been going in completely blind.

Except now,  _ now _ , he had Namshiel and he was finding that the Angel was  _ determined _ now that they’d made their deal. He’d shared what little information he had and it had taken the Sorcerer no time at all to narrow down their culprit. 

_ Magog. He’s the heavy hitter of the Order. Strong but stupid. We don’t have to expect anything nefarious from him.  _

Alec could feel the pause in Namshiel’s explanation. “But?”

_ But I worry that he’s not working alone - a plot like this is outside of his nature. He follows orders, he doesn’t make his own path.  _

Alec understood that and based on what little he knew of Magog and what the Angel had told him, he was starting to get the same feeling. “We find Magnus first, we deal with the rest when it comes up. One step at a time.”

With Namshiel’s guidance, they were able to track Magog to the roof of a warehouse by the docks. “Why a roof? And why out here?”

_ Because he’s not the puppeteer.  _ Alec could feel the Angel drawing in his power, preparing for a fight.  _ You may need to be ready to give me control, child. I know not what we’ll find above. _

“And you’ll stay true to your word?” It was risky, Alec knew, making deals with Fallen Angels. This could all come crashing down in a terrible, horrible fashion. He just had to hope that he’d been  _ right _ about Namshiel - he’d already picked up the coin and made his deal. At this point, hoping was all he could do.

_ Aye. We had a deal, did we not? Your boy’s life for my redemption.  _

“A  _ chance _ at redemption,” Alec muttered as he knocked an arrow and pushed the door to the roof open. 

His eyes found Magnus first, trapped inside a power circle alight with flames to dampen his magic, bruised and bloody but otherwise no worse for wear. The circle though... that shouldn’t work, Alec realized quickly, a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. He’d gotten so used to thinking of Magnus as untouchable. This was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong,  _ wrong.  _

_ Calm down, Alec. The circle isn’t hurting him. Remember what I said. Magog is strong but stupid. Focus on that. You have my power at your fingertips.  _

“Look, Little Cat, you have a guest.” Alec’s attention turned to Magog now. The Fallen Angel had taken over his host. There was nothing remotely human left of the creature in front of him. He was a massive, leathery-looking gorilla beast with spiraling horns and vicious-looking claws. The thing roared at Alec, the ground shaking under his feet. His bow would be of no use here, he could tell. The arrows wouldn’t be able to penetrate Magog’s hide. He had doubts that his blades would do much better. 

“What do you hope to accomplish here, puny human? You think you’re a match for me?” Alec could see Magnus’ eyes pleading with him to leave but he wasn’t going anywhere without the warlock safe, sound, and back in his arms. 

“Of course not,” He replied, dropping his bow and unbuckling his quiver. He started to divest himself of his knives as well and Magnus was trying to beg him to leave. He wanted to go to him or at least tell him that he had a plan and that everything would be alright but he didn’t want to give Magog a chance to react. It seemed he hadn’t noticed Alec’s trump card yet. “That would be silly of me to think I could take you on.” Once his weapons were in a small pile by his feet, he made a show of removing his jacket as well. “However, I think he might be a match for you.”

The transfer of power between Alec and Namshiel left Alec spinning. He was pulled to the back of his mind though he was still fully aware of the situation around him. His body began to twist and change, the Angel’s magic making the process quick and painless. He couldn’t see himself the way he could see Magog but he could feel Namshiel’s true form. He was taller now, his skin had hardened into stone, and there  _ wings _ on his back. His head felt heavier and he realized that he must also have horns. There would be time enough to worry about his appearance later. 

“ _ Brother, I must say that I’m surprised to see you. Evil plots aren’t normally your cup of tea.”  _ It was Namshiel, now, talking to Magog. The Angel was fully in control. Alec could only watch and hope that everything turned out okay. 

“Namshiel, I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you were locked away forever.” 

“ _ Times change. What business do you have with the warlock?” _

Magog laughed - a thick, grinding sound that set Alec’s teeth on edge. “You know why, Brother. Can’t you  _ feel _ it? The strength this one has? His father is kin to us. Keeping this one could power our spells, our magic for years. You should be pleased I’ve taken him.” There was a pause as the ape gave Namshiel another look. “Unless you’re here to keep him for yourself.”

“ _ I’m afraid this one is already spoken for.” _ Namshiel let out a burst of magic that had Magog stumbling back with a roar. Alec’s angel was light on his feet but narrowly missed as the ape charged. The fight was hard for him to track, after that. 

Namshiel’s magic was strong but nothing was hitting or sticking to Magog.  _ Like I said, he’s a bruiser. I’m much more useful in a battle of wits than a physical confrontation. _ Namshiel’s voice commented in his head as Alec tried to make sense of the battle. 

Physical confrontations  _ are _ what Alec did, however. He’d trained battle strategy for years. Maybe he could…’Could you magic a knife so that it would pierce his skin?’ 

Namshiel considered it.  _ You’ll have to aim for the softer bits around his neck. You’ll only get one shot of this. If you miss, he’ll kill us both.  _

‘I trusted you, trust me with this.’ He felt Namshiel relinquish enough control that he could pull himself to the forefront and pick up one of the daggers he’d discarded earlier. The blade grew in his hand and he could feel the magic humming in his grasp. 

_ Good luck. _

Magog had been watching curiously, trying to figure out exactly what Namshiel was up to before he made his next move and Alec couldn’t help the grin that crossed his face.  _ That _ was where the ape made his mistake. 

Magog had taken total control from his host - Alec would be shocked if there was anything left of the person he used to be - and he expected that Namshiel had done the same. He was still fighting as if it was just a fight between two members of the Order.

Magog did not expect Namshiel and Alec to have a partnership. That meant that Alec was the wildcard. 

He charged the ape with a roar of his own, using Namshiel’s wings to give him enough lift in his jump to land on Magog’s back and drive the magic-infused blade into his neck. The Angel screamed in pain, writhing on the ground trying to remove the blade to no avail. Alec stepped back and let Namshiel take control again, knowing that while he may have made the killing blow, this was not over. Not yet.

Namshiel turned to the circle Magnus was trapped in and extinguished the flames with a wave of his hand before his attention landed back on his brother. Alec could feel him mulling over the details before the corpse in front him lit up in a cold, grey fire. 

He knew Magnus had gotten up and had put some distance in between them and Alec wanted nothing more than to run to him and pull him into a kiss and tell him that everything was okay but Namshiel was still in control. 

_ “We should leave this place - the death of a Knight of the Coin will be felt by many. This, _ ” the Angel paused, bending down to pick up the silver piece that had clattered to the ground once the flames had dissipated  _ “will attract all kinds of unsavory types. It does not need to fall into the wrong hands.” _ He offered the coin to Magnus. 

“I’m not touching that,” the warlock replied, taking a few hasty steps back to put some space between himself and the cursed object. “Not with my background. I don’t suppose you can just make it disappear like you did its host?”

_ “Unfortunately, that is beyond my power but I believe Alec has a plan for this.” _ He secreted the coin away to who knows where and turned his attention back to Magnus. Yes, Alec did have a plan for that. He’d return it to the Clave in place of Namshiel’s coin.  _ “I don’t believe you are in any shape to make a portal. Might I offer my assistance?” _

Every instinct in Magnus was screaming that this was a bad idea - the gargoyle-like creature in front of him had been Alec (might  _ still _ be Alec, if what he remembered on the Knights was correct. He’d witnessed the battle and how the Shadowhunter and the fallen Angel appeared to work together.) Magnus simply nodded, thus far the beast,  _ Namshiel _ , he vaguely recalled from the conversation between the two angels, had only helped him and well, if he were honest? If this meant he’d have to live a life without Alec? He would rather take the chance with the fallen angel. 

There was no flourish or light show like there was with warlock magic, just a simple doorway appearing from the ground.  _ “I apologize that I cannot get you closer. Your wards are strong and they do not permit me entrance.” _

“They’ll let Alec in. If you truly have a partnership with him then they shouldn’t stop you,” Magnus replied, stepping through the door to find himself on the street in front of his building. He expected the door to disappear behind him and was only mildly surprised when Alec’s form stepped through a moment later, blinking the remnants of the twisted angelic magic from his eyes. 

Relief instantly flooded through Magnus as he pulled the younger man into his arms. “Alexander, what did you  _ do?” _

“What I had to do to keep you safe.”

“By picking up one of the coins of the Blackened Denarius? Do you know how dangerous that is?”

Alec felt Namshiel bristle at the words but he kept his comments to himself. “Magnus, I don’t care if I had to pick up Anduriel’s coin myself if it meant saving you. And Namshiel and I have worked out something of an agreement. Just don’t let me sink too far down and I believe that this can work out.”

Magnus looked like he wanted to argue more but bit back a sob instead, burying himself in Alec’s arms. “Nothing will ever keep me from coming for you,” the shadowhunter whispered, placing a gentle kiss on top of his boyfriend’s head.

“The Clave isn’t going to like this,” the warlock muttered, his voice muffled by Alec’s shoulder. They’d hate it. Magnus didn’t want to think about the repercussions for Alec’s actions once they found out. 

“The Clave doesn’t have to know. At least...not yet. Let’s get you inside. You’ve had a long day.”


End file.
